University of Exeter and Goonvean Holdings Limited KTP 24_25 R5

A Cornish minerals company is building a digital twin of its manufacturing operations to simulate and improve every step of production before changes are made in the real world. The Goonvean Group processes industrial minerals such as kaolin and mica for use in ceramics, paints, and plastics. Its factories currently rely on manual adjustments and experience-based decision-making. This project will create a virtual model of the entire production line—from raw material input to finished product—that mirrors the physical system in real time. Engineers can then test new processes, predict bottlenecks, and optimise energy use without disrupting actual output. If successful, the digital twin will help Goonvean cut waste, reduce downtime, and make faster, more informed decisions about which companies to acquire and how to integrate their operations. The approach could serve as a template for other UK manufacturers in the minerals and materials sector, many of which still run on legacy systems. This is applied research with a direct commercial goal: embedding data-driven simulation into day-to-day factory management, not exploring fundamental scientific questions.